


Christmas Surprises

by atomicdetectivehideout



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Baking, Christmas Fluff, Cooking Lessons, Domestic Fluff, Human Castiel (Supernatural), M/M, Retired Hunter Dean Winchester, images and gifs, just fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:47:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28323330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/atomicdetectivehideout/pseuds/atomicdetectivehideout
Summary: Dean's going to be making Christmas dinner for the whole family this year and Cas wants to sneak a gift into the oven before Dean has it claimed for the rest of the day. Too bad Miracle has woken him up before Cas is ready.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 4
Kudos: 27
Collections: Destiel Secret Santa Exchange 2020





	Christmas Surprises

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilliankayl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilliankayl/gifts).



> Their wishlist: Fluffy Retired AU. Domestic Fluff with their dog Miracle.

When Dean wakes up he’s alone. He stretches his arms and legs and back, getting as many cricks and cracks out as he can before flipping to face the other side of the bed. It’s cold. He’s tempted to burrow back into his blankets but he can hear the clanging in the kitchen so he knows he’s the last one awake.

He sits up rubbing his eyes and is steeling himself to leave his cozy bed (there’s no real getting used to how cold the bunker is first thing in the morning in winter) when his door is nudged open and a cream colored blur launches itself into the bed.

([source](https://whiskeycherrypie.tumblr.com/post/637414479450210304/doggo-goes-nyooooom))

“Hey, buddy! Good morning,” he said wrapping his arms around Miracle and rocking the two of them back and forth in a deep embrace while he steals her warmth.

([source](https://kellyseverides.tumblr.com/post/635279025240162305))

It's only when Miracle starts licking at his ears (and he does _not_ giggle) that he decides to get up. He flings the blankets off himself, covering Miracle in the process. She burrows her way out and gives a shake before huffing almost exasperatedly at him.

Dean pulls on his robe. "Don't give me that look," he tells her. "That's for slobbering in my ears." He turns to the door and catches a whiff of something delicious so he follows his nose to the kitchen, Miracle by his side.

***

The toast pops and Sam looks over his shoulder away from the stove for a moment and warns, “It’s hot,” before turning his attention back to scrambling the eggs.

([source](https://jaredxmaswalker.tumblr.com/post/637078359708434432/sam-1520-yeah-it-is-%E1%B5%95-%E1%97%9C-%E1%B5%95))

Castiel pauses what he's doing to carefully grab the toast and butter the slices. Sam is on breakfast duty this morning since Dean decided to do a full Christmas dinner for them, Eileen, Jack, Jody and Donna, and their girls. Cas, newly human since his rescue from the Empty, still doesn't know much about cooking but he's proving to be a quick learner and he's always ready for the next lesson. This morning, in addition to helping with breakfast, he's working on his Christmas surprise for Dean.

Last week while out for their usual grocery shop, he'd brought the subject up to Sam. Always ready to help a friend, Sam agreed and immediately pulled up a few possible recipes to choose from on his phone. On their trip home, Cas insisted on holding his bag of ingredients on his lap so he could read all the labels to try to understand why each ingredient was important.

It's when Dean walks into the kitchen saying, "All that bacon better be for me!" that he realizes that his Christmas surprise might not be much of a surprise if Dean is already here. He thought for sure Dean would still be asleep after their late night together the night before.

Like Dean can hear his thoughts, his eyes snap from the stovetop searching for bacon to Castiel and the bowl he's holding.

"What's in the bowl?" Dean asks, eyebrow raised.

"It's… uhh…" Cas tries.

"It's none of your business," Sam swoops in with the save. Dean scoffs, a reminder that Dean considers the kitchen to be his territory, and Cas releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding when Sam adds absentmindedly while plating everyone's breakfast, "Besides, he needs to do this now."

"Why does he need to do this now?" Dean asks, confused.

Sam realizes what he's revealed by accident, alarm in his eyes as he looks at Castiel for his reaction. Castiel's eyes are just as wide in surprise.

And while this wasn't how he'd planned on this going, it seemed like this was how events wanted to play out and he wasn't ready to be upset on Christmas Day.

So instead, he smiles at Sam before turning to Dean and taking his hand. Miracle nudges at his ankles looking for attention and he'll be sure to give her plenty soon.

Sam sees his chance, and fills a plate with food and exits the kitchen at high speed.

"Well, you're about to be cooking all day so I wanted to get your gift in the oven before you need it," he tells Dean.

"My gift?" Dean asks, still confused. "I thought we all agreed no gifts."

"We did, but this is a bit of a gift for everyone, if you choose to share," Cas tells him with a grin. "Do you want to know what it is now?"

"Do you want to tell me now?" Dean counters instead.

Castiel frowns at him and crosses his arms. "I asked you first."

Dean just rolls his eyes. "Yes, please tell me."

Cas looks to Miracle for good luck before looking to Dean. "I'm baking you a pie. A pecan pie."

Dean's mouth immediately starts to water. Pecan might not be his first favourite flavour, but it's easily second or third (depending on how good the slice of cherry pie in front of him is) and he knows why Cas has chosen pecan: at the end of his Christmas feast are four apple pies he had finished baking the day before.

"Awesome," Dean tells him. "Pecan is a great choice and perfect for the holidays." He puts his hand on Cas's shoulder and sighs dramatically. "I can't believe you want to encroach on my dinner plans though," he teases.

Cas gasps, not picking up on the joke. He raises both hands and takes Dean's hand from his shoulder to hold it. "Dean, I would never want to infringe on that. This is merely to supplement what you have planned. If you even want to share at all," he explains in complete earnestness.

And Dean just laughs, "I know!" he reassures Cas. "I'm just kidding with you." He clasps his other hand on top of Cas's. "Do you want help?"

"No, Dean," Cas says in horror. "This is your gift. You can't help to make it," he pauses with a head tilt. "That's a rule, isn't it?"

"We make our own rules," Dean tells him with a kiss to his cheek. "And we can definitely make our own Christmas traditions too. If you want my help, I'm all in but if you don't that's okay too." He lowers their hands still holding on though and looks around the kitchen. "Now how about we eat?"

***

Dean couldn't wait a moment longer for his plate of bacon (with his spinach omelette, god, okay he'll eat it) and they're back in the kitchen right after.

Sam finished up the breakfast dishes quickly and got out of Dodge right after. He's been around enough to know that Dean treats a full meal preparation like a battle plan and it's best not to be around if you're not needed. 

Cas is nervous now that Sam is out of the room and Dean turns to him expectantly. "So what's the verdict, sweetheart? Do you want my help or should I hit the road?"

He takes a moment to consider it before answering. "Yes, please stay," he says simply. Dean's grin lights up the kitchen and Cas knows he could never send Dean away. Cas returns the wide smile and pulls on his apron. It's a white apron with pastel flowers embroidered along the bottom that Dean had bought him as a gift when his eyes lingered on the flowers. He picks up the bowl and spoon he had earlier and gets ready to start. Dean can't help himself.

"Hang on a sec," he tells Cas. He pulls his phone from his robe pocket and opens the camera. "Give me a smile." So Cas does as he's asked and Dean snaps a photo (or several). "Perfect," Dean tells Cas, showing him the photo.

Dean quickly sends the image to Claire captioned _Hard at work for dinner. See u tonite_. She replies moments later saying _stop burning my dinner and pay attention!_ Dean scoffs and puts the phone down.

“Let’s see this recipe,” he says to Cas. He takes the [piece of paper](https://t.umblr.com/redirect?z=https%3A%2F%2Fsallysbakingaddiction.com%2Fmaple-pecan-pie%2F&t=ODA2M2JkODVjZDIzOTI1YjI5YzkzODI4ODNkZDY2ZGI3YjdmNDI1YSw2YWE1YjUwZTgxOTNhMDk4ZjcyY2QxYTZlZGEwNjZlZWZhODE5YTU0&ts=1608930729) he is offered and reviews it. “This doesn’t look too hard. Where are you?”

Cas leans over his shoulder and points. “Number three. I performed the blind bake before you got up. I was hoping to get the pie in the oven before you woke up."

Laughing, Dean says, "You should have pulled our bedroom door shut. Miracle nosed her way in." Miracle had settled beside the table to be near to her humans while they were busy and perked up at her name. She huffs in disappointment when she realizes they have nothing for her and flops back to the floor with a thump.

"I will do that the next time I intend to bake you a surprise," Cas deadpans. 

"You know I'll never say no to something baked,” Dean tells him matter of factly. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

They get to work pulling out all the ingredients for the filling. Castiel carefully fills the measuring cups and spoons with precision and Dean supervises, answering any questions Cas has. When Cas is done whisking the mixture, he removes his apron revealing his current favourite sweater with a majestic grey wolf on the front and hangs it up. He reaches for the cellophane package of pecan pieces and returns to the counter. Resting his foot on the stool in front of him, his pants pulling tightly against his thigh and he lifts the bag to his mouth and opens the package with his teeth. 

Dean swallows, eyes drawn to Cas’s thick thighs automatically. Cas might hear him because he makes eye contact with Dean, pecans still at his mouth and he raises an eyebrow in question. Dean shakes himself back to attention. “Don’t forget you’re human now,” he pulls open a drawer of utensils, “and the dentist is expensive. Use scissors instead of your teeth.” He’s gruff, but not unkind and Castiel gives him an affectionate smile before pouring the pecans into the pie shell. They get the pie in the oven and set a timer and Dean turns to the recipes he’d printed out for today. He’s got a lot planned and that means a lot to do, but he’s wanted to do this for a long time now and this seemed like the perfect time. 

The holidays are the time for family, good food, sweets, and surprises after all. And tonight Dean and Cas have a surprise for all their friends and family: they’re officially retiring from hunting. 

***

As the smell of the baking pecan pie fill the kitchen, it is no surprise to anyone that Dean decides that he will not be sharing his gift from Cas with anyone else. 

***

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 
> 
> Love, Atomicdetectivehideout


End file.
